The Invitation
by Asteroid Blues
Summary: After a mysterious letter arrives for Faye and a new bounty-head worth 30 million wulongs is revealed to be a notorious gambler, Spike finds himself hunting for his prey in Faye's world of casinos and high stakes gambling. Spike/Faye
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop is the rightful property of Sunrise, Inc. No profit is intended from this fanfic.

Timeline: Set after _Speak like a Child_.

The Invitation

* Click * Click * Click *

A thousand channels, and not a damn thing worth watching. The hour was past midnight and Spike had been lazing in front of the vid-screen for most of the night. His last cigarette had been smoked four hours ago, the last cigarette of Jet's secret stash had been smoked an hour ago, and he'd given up searching for Faye's secret stash half an hour ago. There wasn't even a few measly wulongs in his wallet to drink his boredom away at some bar. All in all, it was a mind-numbingly boring night. 

Propping his legs up on the coffee table, he picked up the remote again hoping to find some entertainment, but what he was really trying to do was ignore the letter that was lying on the coffee table. It was cream colored and slightly heavy, and addressed to Faye. Jet nearly threw a fit when it arrived, ranting about the trouble and expense they went through the last time Faye received something in the mail. He was slightly mollified when the messenger told him no payment was necessary, but once his mood was soured nothing but some quality time with his bonsai trees could soothe his frazzled nerves. He'd gone straight to his room muttering under his breath and had yet to come out. 

Ed and Ein had also made themselves scarce since that afternoon, holed up somewhere on the ship. Faye wasn't around either, having taken off three days ago. Probably blowing their hard earned bounty money at the local casinos at that very second. 

So there it was that Spike had been left alone to spent the rest of the advancing evening trying to find something good to watch. He would glance at the envelope from time to time, wondering who it was that kept sending Faye this stuff. First that tape and now a letter. It's not as if he cared what Faye got in the mail, but… there was that letter, sitting there, waiting for him to rip it open. 

He shouldn't….but why not? It's not like Faye could do anything to stop him anyway, if he did open it. Besides she could be up to something so it was in his --everybody's!-- best interests see what kind of trouble they were in for. Of course, it annoyed him to no end that he'd been sitting there debating on whether to open up a stupid letter or not. Leave it to the wench to drive him to exasperation, even when she wasn't there to do the job herself. 

Just as he started to reach over to pick it up, the door above the stairs opened up with it's characteristic swoosh and clang, revealing a tired but slightly giddy looking Faye. She must have won big at the casinos. Amazingly she didn't trip over the threshold like she normally did, as she made her way over to the stairs. He continued to watch her as she descended and headed straight to the kitchen, never once acknowledging his presence. After a couple of minutes, she came back out and sat down next to him on the couch with a heavy thud. Finally Faye looked his way. 

"Oh, it's you. Didn't see you sitting there. Long time no see." 

Not waiting for a response from him, she took the remote and started flipping through the channels. 

"Ugh, why is there never anything good on?"

"So how much money did you win?"

"What do you mean?" She cast him a sideways glance. 

"You know what I mean. How much money did you win at the casinos?"

She hesitated for a moment before answering, as if debating whether or not to tell him.

"For your information, I was working the tables. I didn't get a chance to play myself so I obviously wouldn't have won anything."

"Oh?" He arched an eyebrow. "Dressed like that? Where's your uniform then? Or do the casinos put all their employees in evening gowns now?" He finished sarcastically, feeling pleased with himself for having caught her in a lie.

"What's with the third degree? If you really have to know, I'm dressed this way because I was working in the private area reserved for the casino's rich patrons. Not that it's any of your business." She was getting annoyed with all the questions.

"Yeah, no doubt putting your considerable cheating skills to use in lightening their bank accounts."

At that statement she slightly waved her hand in a gesture of dismissal, as if the notion of cheating was beneath her. 

"It's not my fault most people aren't any good at gambling. If they don't want to lose their money, then they shouldn't come to my table."

"Whatever you say Faye…." Spike leaned back against the couch, his gaze coming to rest by chance on the envelope. 

"Something came for you," he said, inclining his head towards the table. 

There was a look of surprise on her face as soon as she glanced over at the coffee table, but was masked almost as quickly as it had appeared. Picking it up in a swift motion she held the envelope on her lap, covering it with both hands. Silence descended upon them as they both sat staring off into space, wrapped in their individual thoughts. 

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, as she sat there without the slightest movement. So she wasn't going to open it in front of him. Whatever, it's not like it was anything to him. Let her have her secrets. What he was interested in at the moment was finding out how much money she had gotten and if she was going to buy any smokes and groceries. They hadn't been able to bring in any bounties for the past two weeks. Another night of having to eat Jet's special carrot and lima beans concoction, that he'd been serving for the past eight nights, was going to drive Spike crazy. 

"How much did you get _paid_ then?" Spike persisted. Faye had looked much too pleased when she walked in. He was sure she had come back with a lot of wulongs. At the sound of his voice, she roused herself from whatever thoughts she'd been having and turned to face him.

"Oh, merely a trifle."

"Just a trifle, huh?" He wasn't buying her innocent act one bit. 

"That's what I said, lunkhead!" Now she was really getting annoyed with him.

"Don't be so modest Faye, surely you can tell your comrade how much money you got."

"It's a piddling amount Spike, nothing that would interest you."

She was still going to play it coy, was she? He knew one sure way to get her talking--bruise her enormous ego.

"Really Faye, to think that the casinos would only pay the great Poker Alice a piddling amount of money for three days' work. Your skills with the cards must not be that great then. No wonder you have all those gadgets to help you cheat…. 

"I'll have you know that the first time I was ever in a casino people said I was gifted. I don't need to cheat to win!" 

At this he started laughing. "Gifted…. you mean like a gambling idiot savant? 

"You lousy bastard…!" She'd gotten up, balling her hands into fists. 

He could see two angry red spots forming on her cheeks and spreading in fury to the rest of her face. At this he laughed some more, but Faye suddenly lunged and swung at him. In a slight motion he dodged her fist, unintentionally causing Faye to hit the arm of the couch face first. Seeing her in that position only made him laugh more. She was sprawled on him, but Faye twisted so that she could land a back-handed punch. Still, he was too quick for her and stood up just as she started to twist towards him, causing her to fall to the floor. 

"Faye… you'd better quit while you're ahead… before you seriously hurt yourself," he said between gasps of laughter, smirking down at her. 

As suddenly as her anger started, she forced herself to regain her composure. Picking herself up she headed straight for her room in a huff, but Spike called to her as she walked away.

"Wait Faye. Come back and entertain me some more. There isn't anything good on TV." 

He had to dodge again as she threw one of her high heeled shoes at him. 

Damn… maybe he shouldn't have been so quick to tease her… he should've waited 'til after he'd found out if she had any smokes on her… 


	2. 

A/N: Thank you very much to everyone that reviewed (Dark Phoenix, anime kikei, Kya Lorne, Mrs. JENOVA, and Mai)!! I actually was intending to take this down this morning. The writing seemed ok when I uploaded at 3a.m., but in the clearer light of day it seemed clunky and boring when I read it over. But, I saw you kind people had already reviewed and were interested in the storyline, so I'll continue on with the rest of this. 

This chapter was originally part of Ch1, so it's still at the story set-up state. The plot and the pace will pick up starting next chapter. 

****

Chapter 2

Finally in the solitude of her room, Faye began to berate herself as she walked up and down the small space. What had possessed her to tell him that? That had been her proudest moment and one of the achingly few purely happy times she'd had in the past three years. It was her first time in a casino. She broke the bank that night, garnered the attention of the owner and the high rollers, and was invited up to the owner's private rooms to play against them. They were very impressed, said she had a natural talent and a gift only few possessed. They dubbed her Poker Alice. 

That night was so perfect and she felt so happy to be alive. Not because of all the money she'd won, but because she had earned a name of worth for herself. Poker Alice was a woman who people still respected and talked of in awed tones over 150 years later. Having that name meant everything to her. 

What the did she think would happen, that he would be impressed? All she ended up doing was to leave herself open to his ridicule. If she hadn't been so tired from being up so long, she would've never let herself be so careless. It was a long time since she'd let her emotions get away from her like that, but Spike had an infuriating way of making her lose her balance.

Finally feeling drained as the last vestiges of anger wore off, Faye slumped onto her bed. Before making another move, she suddenly remembered the invitation. She should go back and get it before anyone opened it. Jet would never invade her privacy, but Spike had no respect for her property, Ed was too curious about everything to pass up opening it, and Ein hated her guts so he would probably chew it up. With a heavy sigh she heaved herself up off the bed and made her way to the door. 

* * *

She was back. He could hear the soft rustling of her skirts all the way down the hall. Briefly he wondered what she had come back for----of course, the letter. He could feel her standing by the table for some time. What was she doing, staring at him? Or maybe she was planning some sort of revenge? He was starting to feel uncomfortable. 

He'd do this a lot - pretend to be sleeping - with the others, but especially with her. The ability to control his breathing and heart rate had been an important component of his martial arts training when he was younger and had been making his way up the ranks in the Dragons. He didn't really have much need for it anymore but still kept himself in top form by practicing on his teammates. He had to keep himself from smiling at the thought of any of them finding out all the things they unwittingly revealed when they thought he was asleep. 

Whatever it was, she moved away again going back towards the way she had come. This was why he didn't like living with women. They were always getting in a snit and blowing things out of proportion. Couldn't she see he was just having a little fun with her? Most of the time he didn't even intend to start any shit with her, but something beyond his control would push him to it. Anyway, the shrew didn't even care what he had to say to her. She was the worst egotist he'd ever met.

* * *

Closing the door behind her Faye tossed the envelope on her bed and started to undress, changing into her black shorts and white top. Settling herself under the covers she took up the envelope again and looked it over, running her fingers over the raised script. Miss Faye Valentine was written on it in an elegant cursive. So they had managed to find her here on the BeBop. She shouldn't be surprised; the invitation had even once arrived when she was floating in the middle of space in her zip-craft. 

As happy as she was to have gotten it for the past three years, it was still a little disconcerting to be found so easily. Part of her relished in the part she played as the wandering Romany, and it was with some slight unease that she thought her movements were so known to them. Somehow she expected it might not come this time, and that she'd have to find the place on her own. But it had come and it was just the thing to raise her spirits, she thought as she broke the seal and took out the card and looked at the address. It would do her a lot of good to have some decent fun for a change and to get away from him-them!, she meant them! 

Damn him for creeping into her thoughts again, and damn him for laughing at her like that. And damn herself for letting her guard down around him. By losing her temper like that in front of him, she had inadvertently given him the upper hand. She had shown him she had a weakness he could exploit, and that wouldn't do at all. Not at all. 

Still, it didn't matter what he had to say. He was nothing to her. Who was he to laugh at her, to judge her? Well, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he hit his mark. He could try to bait her all he wanted tomorrow but she was going to keep cool and collected, even if it killed her. 

With that resolve, Faye turned the lights off and soon fell into a fitful sleep. 

A/N: If anyone should review, feel free to give constructive criticism.


	3. 

Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop is the rightful property of Sunrise, Inc. No profit is intended from this fanfic.

Lots of thanks to Kya Lorne, Sniffle, and Jixer n Sybil for the reviews!

****

Chapter 3

They had come to the stars when space colonization was in it's infancy. Their world torn by streaks of fire from the sky, they erected new monuments to greed to replace the ones they had lost. These buildings were vast honeycombed structures that sprung up almost overnight on the planets and moons. Others were nothing more than modified satellites, orbiting in space. These shone with a steady light almost as bright as that of the stars, the lights serving as beacons for those that had a hunger for games and taking risks. Soon the people came, echoing the ghosts of the faithful that had feverishly haunted these abodes on the blue planet. The seeds of lust for money were carried in their blood, transplanted to these new worlds. They put themselves above the law, creating their own society apart from the rest of the colonies. 

Once each year they returned to the battered planet, gathering in honor of that bygone time when money flowed like wine and the masses would come in hordes to pay tribute to their paper god. They would re-live all that the past had held with heady abandon, making a pilgrimage to the great cities of their craft. To these places the gamblers were invited. The two imperative rules were simple: no cheating and no weapons. Here they would be required to prove their mettle. To uphold the reputations they had gained in the casinos and prove the worth of their skills. Those that had first come to the stars would set the rules for the games. 

* * *

He woke up to the smell of food and the sound of a pan scraping against the stove. Jet was cooking. Feeling the clench of hunger in his stomach, he peeled himself off of the couch and headed straight for the kitchen. His face dropped when he saw what Jet was making: an omelet with lima beans. Weren't they out of those damn things already? He decided that he was going to do the grocery shopping from now on. It was obvious Jet was hell bent on never getting anything mouth-wateringly good for them to eat. 

"Mornin' Spike."

"Mornin'," the sound coming out as more of a grunt than the actual word.

He took a seat and watched Jet cook, not feeling that hungry anymore. 

"Ed's working on a new bounty - 30 million."

Spike perked up when he heard the amount, jumping out of his chair. 

"Why didn't you wake me up? Lets go!"

"Hold on, we don't have a name yet. Just the preliminaries." 

Slight disappointment marring his features, he collapsed back onto the chair, burying his head in his hands. He looked up in surprise when something hit him on the arm. A pack of cigarettes. 

"Huh? I thought we were out?"

"We were. I borrowed them from Faye. And Spike, I don't appreciate you swiping my smokes." 

He gave a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry pal, I was gonna pay you back. With interest. I swear."

"Yeah. Promises, promises." Jet gave him a disbelieving grin as he put the steaming plate of food in front of Spike.

"Well, eat up buddy. There's plenty more for seconds. Then we'll see what Ed found out."

Letting out another grunt, Spike hesitantly began to dig in.

* * *

"What've you got Ed?"

"Shhhh Jet-person. Ed is in the middle of a veeery delicate operation." Her fingers danced over the keyboard for another couple of minutes before the look of concentration on her face dissolved into a big smile.

"Edward found the treasure, Captain Jet."

"Let's see what we have here." Jet leaned in over Ed's shoulder to get a better look. 

"Hmm…stats….to be brought in alive or the bounty is void….wanted for unspecified crimes…seen frequenting casinos in Europa…price of bounty may rise…. There's not much here Ed. Do you know who put the bounty up?"

"It's a secret Jet-person. Tomato won't tell Ed," she finished with a sad look on her face, but suddenly brightened up again. "Tomato said bounty-man addicted to gambling. Faye-Faye will find." 

"Well now. This may turn out to be our lucky day, after all. That money's in the bank already. With Faye's connections we could get this guy easy." 

"No way Jet. We're not telling her. She'll say she doesn't recognize him, then turn him in herself. Then she'll spend it all on makeup and clothes and pointy shoes and whatever else crap women like to waste their money on. If she doesn't donate it to the casinos first."

"I also like to spend my money on guns and ammo and missile launchers for my ship. Maybe you'd like me to give you a demonstration of my toys." 

Faye was leaning against the wall, dressed to the nines and looking flawless. She had her arms crossed across her chest and a scowl on her face.

"I should've known you'd be a snake in the grass Spike! Trying to keep a bounty from me. I thought we were all going to get informed whenever a new bounty came up. That was our deal. Isn't that right, Jet?"

Before the words could leave Jet's mouth, Spike cut in. 

"You're the one who's always been the snake in the grass Faye. Don't pretend you wouldn't go after that bounty by yourself if you saw it first, and leave me'n Jet in the dust!

"Don't forget Edward and Ein Spike-person," Ed piped up while Ein yipped in agreement.

Before Faye could make her retort Jet cut in, yelling at the both of them to shut up and that they were all going to work together. 

Faye and Spike were separated to different sides of the room now, each giving the other a death glare. Jet let out another sigh as he turned back to Ed's Tomato, sure they weren't going to start up again. Maybe he could take a vacation by himself with his share of the bounty money. Those two were going to give him an ulcer someday. 

"Here's his description and picture. Whaddaya think Faye? Anyone you know?"

She shook her head. "I don't recognize the face, but if you give me a name then I can definitely get some info." 

"Ed, see what you can dig up."

"Yes sir, Jet-officer-person!" Ed saluted him with both hands. 

"Are we through here now?" Faye spoke up again. "I need to get going."

"Yeah, going to get the bounty-head for yourself."

"Don't start with me again baka! I swear I'll make you regret it."

"Bring it on Faye! Anytime, anywhere."

"Dammit!" Jet brought his fist down on the coffee table. "Can't you two go five minutes without acting like children."

"_He_ can't!" "_She_ can't!" They both spoke at the same time.

"Look Jet, I'm going. Leave a message on my comm when you get any word." Not looking at Spike again, Faye stalked off to the hangar.

"She's lying. She's gonna get that guy and keep the money for herself."' 

"Spike, don't start that again. She was already dressed up this morning and ready to leave." 

"I still don't trust her. I'm going to follow her."

Before Jet could say anything else Spike took off for the hangar, determined to beat Faye at her own game. 


	4. 

Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop is the rightful property of Sunrise, Inc. No profit is intended from this fanfic.

Many thanks to Kya Lorne, Moonwhisper, Ahsayuni (there's a clue in the 2nd paragraph of the 3rd chapter), eponine, setchan, Jixer n Sybil, Kawaii Kokkei Tsuita no Neko, and Eisha for the reviews!!

****

Chapter 4

Tracking her to the casino was a piece of cake. Finding her in there was a whole other matter. The place was huge, with people crawling all over its multiple levels. It was hard to believe from the interior that it was bright and sunny outside. The people inside were gambling with un-abating fervor, no matter if it was 11 a.m. or 11p.m. It was as if time didn't exist in this place. 

Wandering aimlessly until he spotted Faye was going to get him nowhere. He spent fifteen minutes asking around for her, to no avail. Spike had no intention of giving up though. He was going to find her and keep an eye on her 'til the bounty money was safely deposited into all of their accounts. 

Coming up to the entrance of one of the casino's many restaurants, he leaned against a wall and lit up a cigarette. Just as he was finishing up and about to depart, he spotted a gangly teen in a waiter's uniform near him.

"Hey kid, do you know Poker Alice?"

"Sure do. Everyone around here knows about Miss Valentine. They should anyways…," he finished with a light blush tinting his face. Heh. He had to remember to tease Faye about her admirer later.

"Where is she?"

"She's on the top floor in one of the private areas."

"Thanks kid."

"Wait mister! You can't go in there, there's a private game going on! The boss wouldn't like to be interrupted--," he yelled out but Spike had already entered the elevator. "Oh man, I'm gonna get in trouble…"

***

When the elevator doors opened, Spike stepped into a large space lined with many doors. In front of one of the rooms were standing two large men, wearing the uniforms of security personnel and clearly twins from their identical faces. Quickly he sized the men up; they were at least a foot taller than him. _If it came down to a fight, he could take these guys easy._

Spotting him they told him to halt. "What are you doing up here?"

He hoped the bluff he was about to make would work. "I'm looking for Poker Alice. I'm here for the game." _She better be in there._

"You're not on the list. What do you want with Poker Alice?" Suspicion was undisguised in the man's voice.

"You didn't even check," Spike said pointing to the small laptop next to the man. 

"You're not on the list," the man replied stonily. "This is the last time I'm going to ask before beating you to a bloody pulp: Who are you and what do you want with Poker Alice?"

"She's expecting me. I'm her man." _Where the hell did that come from? _

"You hear this bro? This guy says he's Poker Alice's man." There was amusement in his voice. "Funny, you don't look like her type. In fact, I've seen her man and you look nothing like him." 

__

Faye has a man…

"She got herself a new one," there was an edge to his voice that he didn't like when the words came out. "She invited me here."

"We'll see about that." And with that the man turned and spoke into his ear-piece, too low for Spike to hear. 

A minute later the doors opened and two men with semi-automatic weapons stepped out. "Put your hands up. Slowly."

Spike decided to play along for the time being. They patted him down and took his Jericho, telling him to step inside. 

Faye was in there, behind a blackjack table; before her were seated a number of men in suits. Standing next to her was a white-haired and bearded man, with a scar over his right eye that ran down from his forehead to his jaw. All eyes were on Spike, dissecting every aspect of his figure. Faye had a look of confusion on her face, and -- _was that worry? _

The man with the scar turned to Faye and spoke: "My dear, this man says that he knows you, that you're his woman in fact."

"It's true." 

Spike couldn't tell if the man believed her or not; his poker face revealed nothing. Turning a piercing eye on Spike, the man asked for his name.

"Spiegel. Spike."

"Perhaps this is a good time to take a break. Won't you join me for some Cognac, gentleman? 2033 was an excellent year."

The men murmured their assent and made their way to the bar area of the room. The owner then turned to Spike.

"Will you be so kind as to wait out on the balcony Mr. Spiegel?" The words were polite but there was an underlying command to them.

Once outside he leaned against the stone railing, so he could get a look inside. Faye and the owner talked for some time. He wondered what Faye was saying. She looked different from this vantage point, composed and elegant. 

He really didn't know anything about Faye. 

The words of the guard came back to him, and he wondered what kind of man Faye would be interested in. Somehow he couldn't imagine her with anyone. Images of different types of men next to Faye ran through his mind. None of them fit. It's not that he cared. It was just that he was _slightly_ curious what kind of man it was. Hell, he'd even take the guy out for a drink. Any man that could put up with the shrew deserved to get plastered for free. 

Before he could think any more on the subject, the doors opened and Faye stepped outside. Her face was completely stoic.

"What do you think you're doing here?"

"To help you ID the bounty-head of course," he tried to keep a note of levity, but it was hollow.

"I sincerely doubt that."

He didn't know what to say now. Silence was growing between them, becoming more uncomfortable with each passing moment. Spike was the first to break the deceptive calm, as he tentatively began to speak . 

"Look Faye… I didn't intend to cause any trouble for you with your boss. I only said that shit about being your man at the spur of the moment so I could get in." _What was that look on her face? Shit, he was going about this the wrong way. He could really use a drink right about now._

She didn't answer him but instead turned and headed for the doors, stopping with her hand on the handle. She didn't turn around when she spoke again.

"You shouldn't have come here."

Faye quickly crossed the threshold. He too headed for the doors. Nothing today was turning out the way he had planned. 

A/N: Sorry about the slow pace. I promise they'll be searching for the bounty-head next update. 


	5. 

Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop is the rightful property of Sunrise, Inc. No profit is intended from this fanfic.

Much thanks to red-tenko, Blooknaburg, Qui-ti (You're getting your black belt? That's damn cool, Congrats!), Gurlie, Cowgirl13, Jixer n Sybil (Oh man, I'm afraid this fic might not live up to your expectations ^_^;;), Kawaii Kokkei Tsuita no Neko, setchan, Kya Lorne, and starlight!!

****

Chapter 5

The awkwardness they had shared outside spilled indoors, the tension in the room palpable. Spike was calculating the best strategy for getting out of there. He only knew for certain that two inside were armed, but it would be a fatal error to assume no one else was. Going through the balcony was out. He and Faye would have to fight their way out through the way they had come in. However, the fight he was expecting didn't come. 

"Would you care to join in the game Mr. Spiegel? The minimum bet is fifteen million." 

He didn't like the vibe he was getting from the man with the scar. There was a taunting in his demeanor; he was baiting Spike. The other mens eyes were on him again, as if disbelieving that he would have fifteen wulongs, much less fifteen million.

"Wouldn't you know it, but I left my money card* in my other pants. I'll sit this one out." He couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"As you wish."

They resumed the game and he sat back and watched Faye expertly shuffle the cards, her every move precise and agile. His thoughts flowed to the first time they had met. It was no mistake that he had gone to her table. From the moment he'd set foot in that room she had stood out to him among the multitude, her beauty drawing him to her table. He let her cheat him every hand, but strangely he hadn't minded. He'd been content to just sit there and watch those beautiful hands; it was almost hypnotic the way she handled the cards. 

He hadn't needed to question then why he had reacted to her that way. She was a sexy woman and he'd enjoyed flirting with her the times they had encountered each other. First in the casino, then when she'd taken off with the money. Having her living on the Bebop made things complicated, and confused him more often than he would have cared to admit. 

She was cheating through every hand here, as well. The men didn't seem to be too upset over all the money they were losing. They were under her spell and obviously enjoying themselves, despite their losses.

After some time, another break was called. Faye went near Spike to talk to him, but the owner addressed him before she had a chance to say anything.

"Perhaps this is tiresome for you Mr. Spiegel? I'm sure you'd be more comfortable waiting for Faye in her suite."

He looked to Faye, hesitating. She could take care of herself, but everything in him was saying to take her and go home.

"It's alright Spike. Wait for me in my room. I'll be there as soon as I can."

He relented. "Fine. I want my gun back."

"Of course." The owner motioned for his guard to return Spike's gun, then turned and began conversing with the other men. Faye too started to turn away from him, but Spike softly grabbed her hand.

"I'm sorry Romany. Truce?" He spoke in a low, earnest voice so that only they two could hear. He meant what he had said to her out on the balcony; he'd never intended to cause any trouble for her. She was about to make some caustic remark, but the sincerity in his voice held her back.

"Truce, Gaujo." She hesitated letting go of his hand for a moment, but soon gathered her wits and quickly let go. 

Just as Spike was about to leave the room, the man's voice called him back. "I trust I'll see you at the games Mr. Spiegel."

"Games?"

"Yes, our annual gathering. Surely Faye would have told you?"

"He doesn't really like to gamble," Faye hastily cut in, "and besides, I don't know how to contact them to ask for permission to bring a guest."

"Not to worry my dear, I'll take care of everything."

Faye looked like she wanted to protest further, but held her tongue. 

If she didn't want him there, then he was definitely going. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Splendid. It's settled then, you'll bring your young man to Monte Carlo."

* * *

Going to the concierge's desk, he found a key-card waiting for him. From the looks of it, the suite was pretty swanky. Exploring, he found a workout room and decided to occupy his time that way while waiting for Faye. He was almost disappointed something didn't start back there; he could use a good workout to relieve all the tension that had built up in him.

No sooner did he come out of the shower, then Faye came in. She went to pour herself a drink, avoiding the questions in his eyes. When she finally did turn to him, he wasn't quite expecting the serious tone she held.

"I don't like this Spike. You shouldn't have accepted his invitation. You shouldn't have even told him your real name." She shook her head as if she was in an internal debate with herself over the situation. 

Spike decided to speak when it was obvious she wasn't going to say anything else. 

"Who were those guys?"

"Men with too much money and time on their hands. I'm paid to make sure they have considerably less money on their hands when they leave."

"What happens if they find out?" 

She shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever happens, happens."

"And your willing to take that risk?"

"A risk is always worth taking." 

Silence again. He wasn't sure he liked this new, quiet Faye. He couldn't believe he was thinking this, but he wanted the mischievous and brash one back. He decided to lighten the mood. "Nice digs. This is the way to live."

"Is it?"

"Knowing you, that's the last response I would have expected."

"You don't know me."

"Yeah, apparently."

Before the conversation could take any ugly turns, Spike's comm rang. It was Jet, with news that Ed had found them a name. The bounty-head was one David Lee and it had been the Gate Corporation that put the bounty up, which had now been upped to 70 million.

"So? Can you find out anything?"

"Yeah, let's go."

* * *

Faye led him to another casino in a seedier part of town. It was a smaller place, lacking the grandeur of the other. Once inside, she brought him to a bar.

"Get yourself a drink, cowboy. I'll be right back." Her usual tone of voice had returned and he found himself relieved to have her somewhat back to normal.

Taking a seat at the bar, he followed her with his eyes as she wove her way through the people. Faye approached a tall woman, disappearing with her into another part of the casino.

"What'll it be?" A bartender came up to him.

"Whiskey." By the time he was finished with his third drink, Faye reappeared by his side.

"What'd you find out?"

"This was before my time, but my contact says that he was practically a legend. Word is he's lost his touch for the past five years; goes on a drinking binge before every game. He owes money to all the big casinos, and his debts put mine to shame."

They decided to head back to the BeBop and plan their next move from there. Picking up the pack of cigarettes he'd left on the counter, Spike noticed a folded piece of paper underneath it that hadn't been there before.

__

I have information on the bounty. Meet me near the generator of the old hydroelectric plant at midnight, third stairwell. Don't bring the woman - come alone.

Pocketing the note before Faye could see it, he looked over to her, but she wasn't next to him.

She was settling herself to a game at the Craps table when he took her arm and pulled her away.

"Spike! Just one game."

"No."

"I won't take long. C'mon, I haven't played here for a long time."

"No," and he pulled her along until the were outside.

"You're a killjoy Spike."

"I do what I can Faye." He broke into a grin, feeling relieved again that their banter was returning.

* * *

When the time came, he slipped out and headed for the meeting place. The interior building was entirely made of steel and criss-crossed with walkways in four levels. Coming near the generator room, he climbed up to the third level, spotting a dark shape underneath a stairway. The man kept to the shadows, his face hidden.

"Stay back," he began, as Spike made to go near him.

"Who are you?"

"Someone who wants to see justice served."

"Justice for who?"

"That's none of your concern."

"What do you want?"

"I have information on the man you're looking for."

"What's the price?"

The man didn't answer. Spike tried another line of questioning. "Why didn't you want me to bring the woman along?"

"She works for them."

"Who's them?"

"Them, the ones who run the casinos. The bastards!" The man was becoming heated, his gruff voice echoing off the metal around them. "They do nothing but ruin lives! They play games with peoples' lives! I want them to pay, all of them!" 

The man was ranting unintelligibly now. Spike decided to try to steer the conversation back to the bounty-head.

"Where can I find Lee?"

"He's been laying low, but he'll be at the games in Monte Carlo."

"How can you be sure?"

"Does the sun rise? All those gamblers are like that, they can't stay away for long. It's a sick compulsion. Besides, he'll be safe there. The ones who put up the bounty are looking for him. He has the stuff he stole on him."

"Why are you helping me?"

"My reasons are my own. You have to turn him in before he gets there. There isn't much time--"

Suddenly Spike raised his hand and the man stopped talking. Spike's hearing had picked up a sound, faint at first but growing louder every second. It was the sound of footsteps, many of them. He pulled out his Jericho with lightning speed and turned to the informer, but the man had already disappeared. 

* Does anyone know what the official name is for the electronic devices they have that they put their money on?

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I won't have any time to work on this til the end of the week. So I wanted to get this part out now, while I had a little bit of time. 


	6. 

Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop is the rightful property of Sunrise, Inc. No profit is intended from this fanfic.

Thanks to red-tenko, Kawaii Kokkei Tsuita, Jixer n Sybil, Cowgirl13, Qui-ti (Way to go.), Case (Thanks for the tips; I appreciate the constructive criticism. I'm going to try my best with Ed. Hopefully she'll be more in character within the next couple of chapters.), Mrs. JENOVA, and Kya Lorne (I was actually going to have S/F in this chapter, but this thing has a mind of its own. I'll try to work it in soon.)!!

****

Chapter 6

The old hydroelectric plant stood at the edge of town, a relic of the early days of colonization. It's doors were forever closed, but on this night one passing by could see strange flashes lighting up the interior.

The first bullet flew by Spike, making a bloody trail across his cheek, as a chunk of skin was taken off. He dove for the area under the stairs that the informant had been standing under, taking whatever shelter he could. A rain of bullets drummed the steps, ricocheting off the metal in all directions. They were firing from the lower levels, making their way to where he was holed up. He would wait and pick them off one by one, as they climbed the stairs. He'd be trapped if he stayed there or made it to the upper level, and trying to make a run for it over the walkways would leave him wide open. He had no choice but to get down somehow. Spike checked his clip, only five more bullets left. 

He shot the first one in the head, the bullet going through and hitting the man behind him in the face. Spike burst from his hiding spot, shooting three more as he ran to the middle of the walkway where he leapt off the railing. The impact reverberated throughout his body as he landed on the second level. Bracing himself, he ran towards the man that was at the end near the stairs. Before the man could level his machine gun, Spike had him in an iron grip. He raised the man's arm and angled the weapon so that the bullets would hit the men on the upper level. They didn't get a chance to fire as their bodies were riddled with bullets, their forms shuffling in a surreal dance.

With his free hand Spike shot the first man in the heart that was making his way towards him. Two more were behind that one; they shot at him, but he used the man he had grabbed as a shield. Having no more bullets left, Spike took the empty machine gun and swung in a wide arch, the side of the first man's head depressing as the but of the weapon came into contact with him. The second one managed to shoot Spike in the shoulder of his gun hand, the bullet tearing through flesh and muscle and going out the other side. Ignoring the pain, Spike pounced on the man delivering a fatal kick to his head. He grabbed his opponent's gun, as a third one was descending on him. Dodging the man's bullets, Spike dove for the ground, shooting the man dead as another bullet tore through his wounded shoulder. He easily shot the last one that came on him, his reflexes faster than the other man's, even in his weakened state. 

There was no noise now in the building, save for the sound of the blood dripping like rain from the upper level and Spike's labored breathing. He forced himself to get up, despite the pounding pain in his shoulder. Luckily the second bullet went out clean from his back, but both wounds were badly bleeding. He took his lighter out and used the light of the flame to better look over one of the men that was lying near him. He couldn't recognize the clothes; they were nondescript. Syndicate thugs were usually in uniform, but he couldn't rule them out altogether.

His head was feeling light now and the fingers of his right hand were becoming numb. He took his jacket off, wrapping it around his shoulder as best he could with his one good hand. Pulling with his teeth to tighten the jacket was all Spike could do with the makeshift tourniquet. The wounds were still bleeding heavily, he'd have to get out of there quick before he passed out, or before any more assassins showed up to finish the job the others couldn't get done. 

He was glad now that he hadn't parked his baby near the building, but instead in a clearing past the woods surrounding the compound. There didn't seem to be any more of them, but he still kept his path from tree to tree, using them for cover. 

Black spots were dancing in front of his eyes as he set the SwordfishII's course on autopilot, blood slick on his hands as he moved his fingers over the controls. His jacket was completely soaked with blood now. Speeding away from the scene, Spike was foreboding. _Dammit Faye. What have you gotten yourself into now?_

* * *

Stumbling out of his monoracer he haphazardly made his way through the ship, dripping a trail of blood. Jet was going to be pissed off at the mess in the morning. He went past the couch, seeing that Ed and Ein had hijacked his sleeping spot. 

Reaching Faye's room, he fumbled with the door handle. The signal that his clouded brain was sending to his hand wasn't getting through, and it was some time before he managed to open the door. Stepping into the room he saw Faye wide awake with her Glock drawn. Apparently she had gone straight for her gun at hearing the door opening. Her rigid posture relaxed and she put the safety back on when she saw it was him.

"Spike, what are you doing…?" 

She rushed forward to catch him, as she saw Spike swaying. Helping him over to her bed, Faye took in his appearance. 

"Out having fun without me Spike?"

"Promise…take you…next time Romany..." His words were trailing off and slurring as the blood loss was starting to wear him down.

"I'll be right back," Faye said as she quickly left to get medical supplies. 

He leaned back against the wall, his eyes drooping as sleep was trying to overpower him. He roused from his stupor as he felt his jacket being loosened. _When had she come back? _She was taking his shirt off now, discarding the soiled garments on the floor. The wounds were still bleeding profusely and she worked quickly to clean the blood off before they could be taken care of.

"You really take being shot up to an art form lunkhead. You must think I have nothing better to do than play fucking nursemaid to you."

Her words were harsh, but her hands moved tenderly and quickly over his wounds. It never failed, she would always curse and complain her way through tending his injuries, but her gentle and soothing actions always betrayed her words. 

Once he was bandaged up, she took the two IV bags full of blood she had brought with her. Jet had made the Doc take some of Spike's blood from time to time so that they could have enough stockpiled in case of emergencies. The last bag being depleted, the handheld device indicated his heart rate and vitals were stabilizing.

By the time she finished cleaning up the cut on his cheek, he had fallen asleep. Faye decided it was best to leave him on her bed and take the couch for herself. She took off his heavy shoes but hesitated at taking his pants off. He shouldn't be uncomfortable sleeping in them, but the right side was soaked with blood so she'd have to take them off. At least he was out of it and wouldn't wake up at that moment. She couldn't help from laughing when she saw that the design on his boxer shorts had guns all over it. 

Pushing him away from the wall, she settled him onto the bed, pulling his legs up. The TV was still at the foot of the bed so his legs would be cramped up. _Oh well, he should've gone to Jet for help instead of coming to her. _But he had come to her and that made her strangely content. She should know better, that her room was closer, but it was late and her usual cynicism was dormant. Hesitantly she reached out and pushed away a lock of hair that had gotten in his eyes, her hand trailing down his face. But as soon as the motion was instigated, she pulled back. _What was wrong with her? _These feelings were disturbing to her; nothing good would come of them. Sometimes she thought it best to leave the BeBop altogether - forget that he and Jet and Ed ever existed. Go back to the nomadic life she had before. Of course her life was still nomadic, but she had them for companions now. 

Damn. She was getting too attached. It was time she thought of leaving permanently…… 

* * *

Taking the blood soaked clothes, Faye went to the laundry room. _May as well do something, now that she couldn't get back to sleep._ Shuffling through the various bottles, she came across one labeled "Blood-Away Liquid Detergent." _Gets out 40% more blood-stains than other leading brands - Bounty Hunter's Choice_, it said on the bottle. She rifled through Spike's pants pockets taking out his wallet, a crumpled piece of paper, matches, and a pack of cigs - cigs she'd specifically told Jet not to give to Spike. _Just like a sneaky man! _

Leaving the laundry to take care of itself, Faye went to the living room and dumped the contents of Spike's pockets onto the table. Ed was using Ein as a pillow, and evidently dreaming from the occasional flailing of her arms and mutterings.

Suddenly a golden eye popped open and widened as she saw who was sitting in front of her.

"Faye-Faye!!" Ed yelled. She was still half sleepy, but that didn't stop her from tumbling over the table and jumping onto Faye, and startling Ein out of his sleep.

"Faye-Faye come to play game with Edward?" She asked drowsily, but latched onto Faye's arm with a strong grip.

"Go back to sleep Ed, it's too late for games," Faye said, trying push away Ed who was using her shoulder as a pillow.

"No one wants to play games with Ed." 

"Gimme a break kid. Go play with the dog."

"Faye-Faye!! Please-Please!!"

"Fine. I'll teach you Poker. That's the greatest game in the world." Faye caved in, hoping Ed would stop yelling in her ear. 

"YAY!! Poker Ed!" She wrapped her arms around Faye again, chocking the air out of her. 

"Arrg, get off Ed! Poker players don't hug!"

By the time Faye had finished going through the rules, sleep had reclaimed Ed. Feeling it was safe now, Faye slowly got up and left the seat to her, careful not to disturb her sleep.

"What the hell's going on here? What's all this racket about?" Jet was standing in the doorway looking tousled, sleep still hanging on his frame. 

"Can't a man get some rest without you females raising the dead?" 

Faye rolled her eyes. "Don't be so melodramatic Jet."

"I'll tell you what I'll be if I don't get some shut eye!" He moved forward, ready to give Faye a good, long lecture on having consideration for the poor put upon ex-ISSP officer she lived with.

"Eww. What's this mess on the floor?" Jet exclaimed, feeling something wet on his bare feet. "Ein!! I thought you were housebroken!"

At this Ein let out a low growl and pounced on Jet, barking up a storm. If Ein could speak he would be uttering a string of curses at Jet. Never had any human insulted him so. To think that a highly intelligent and refined being such as himself would go to the bathroom in the middle of the living room floor! He would expect such insolent comments from the woman, but not Jet. As soon as Ein made contact Jet slipped on the floor, falling on his back with a heavy thud and an 'umph' out of his lips. 

"What the…? This isn't….it's blood!"

Faye carefully came closer, looking over Jet's prone form. Ein was standing on his chest, waiting for an apology.

She raised a perfect eyebrow. "So it is…"

"So…?! Where the hell did it come from?!"

"Geez, calm down Jet. It's Spike's. He came in shot in the shoulder. Don't worry, he's fine. He needed a transfusion, but his vitals are stable. He's sleeping in my room."

"Your room?" Jet asked with a smirk on his face and a teasing lilt to his voice.

"My room was the closest, OK. I don't like what you're insinuating!" 

"I wasn't insinuating anything. You don't have to get so bothered over it."

"I am not getting bothered!"

Ein was looking from one to the other, annoyed that Jet still hadn't apologized. His claws drawn, he jumped up and landed on Jet again, his claws digging into Jet's flesh. 

"Ow! Alright, alright, I'm sorry Ein! You're a good, clean dog. I shouldn't have doubted you." Satisfied with the apology, Ein let out a few yelps and subjected Jet to a torrent of licks.

Pulling Ein away from him, Jet got up, letting out a heavy sigh. "Great, now I need a shower. Clean this mess up Faye."

"Why should I clean it up?! It not my fault Spike has some sick fetish with being shot up all the time." 

"Coz I said so! And don't you go getting Ed to do your work for you. I'm telling you Faye, I want to see this floor spotless by the time I get out of the shower. You'll find a mop and bucket in the hangar." 

Faye was sitting on the couch now, her arms crossed over her chest, looking like a sullen child. Satisfied she wasn't going to give him any more lip, Jet stalked off to the bathroom. _Huh. Who would've thought putting his foot down would work. He should try it with Spike next. Now for that soothing, long, hot shower to relax him enough to fall back asleep_.

* * *

"Not bad Faye. Not bad at all. Maybe you should try your hand at cooking next." 

"Don't push your luck old man."

"Never mind, you'd probably give us all food poisoning."

Jet had taken a seat on the couch, drying his hair. He glanced down on the coffee table and noticed the scrap of paper.

"What's this?"

"Oh, that. It was in Spike's pocket."

Faye leaned over Jet's shoulder to read what was scrawled on the paper.

__

I have information on the bounty. Meet me near the generator of the old hydroelectric plant at midnight, third stairwell. Don't bring the woman - come alone.

__

So that's where he'd gone off to! The fucking bastard was going to two-time her and get the bounty for himself!

A/N: That was the first fight scene I've ever written; hope it was at least half-way decent. If anyone would care to point out any problem areas on that or anything else in the fic, feel free to. And, I have to apologize for the schizophrenic chapter lengths - believe it or not most of the story is outlined, but its taking on a life of its own as I'm writing it.

Next Chapter - Bounty hunters clash as the search for the bounty goes underway. 


	7. 

Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop is the rightful property of Sunrise, Inc. No profit is intended from this fanfic.

**Notes will be on the bottom from now on.**

****

Chapter 7

Jet had been looking out of the observation deck for quite some time now, feeling alone and antsy. A particularly annoying combination. It was with some surprise that he spied the RedTail approaching the BeBop. Faye had taken off a few hours ago and he was surprised to see her back so soon. It usually wasn't like her to do so, but here she was. Soon enough, he could hear the clickety-clack of her shoes on the metal floors as she approached the room and walked in carrying four bottles in her arms. Her hair was slightly tousled and there were specks of blood dotting the white leather of her shoes. She was somewhat surprised when she saw him standing there.

"Oh! Hi Jet."

"Hi yourself. Should I even ask what you've been up to?" He said, gesturing towards the bottles she was cradling against her chest.

"You're probably better off not knowing about it."

"So this is where you hide things, huh?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"You gonna share that, or do I haveta ask nice?"

"I suppose I could share. Sometimes it's no fun drinking alone."

"Sit down then," Jet said as he opened one of the metal cabinets and pulled out a plastic bag filled with cups. Faye settled herself on the floor, leaning her back against the cold glass. She winced as soon as her skin touched its cold surface, but didn't budge from her position. Jet settled himself next to her with a heavy thump, taking a similar position leaning against the glass."

"So what'll it be Jet? Vodka, Rum, Whiskey, or Scotch?"

Jet gave a small chuckle at the selection. "Nothing lighter?"

"I don't like my alcohol weak, but I did manage to snag an expensive bottle of wine with the others." Said bottle was produced from somewhere within the depths of her red jacket.

"Ah, I forgot about the bottle opener." Faye made a move to get up, but Jet put a restraining hand on her arm, pulling her back down.

"Don't bother." With that said, he reached into a side pocket on his pants and pulled out a small screwdriver. It was tiny and mechanical. A couple of minutes fumbling with the cork and the bottle was open.

"Aren't you resourceful."

"I'm a man of many talents. Well, here's to-- here's to dent free ships."

"Huh?"

"I'm hoping a certain someone didn't come back with unsightly gashes on her ship like last time."

It was Faye's turn to give a small chuckle. "Don't worry, it's in one piece."

She tilted her head back to rest against the glass, but her eyes kept darting around the room, cataloguing the position of each visible item. It was a habit she'd acquired while learning the fine art of hustling. 

"Who knew you'd have a sense of humor." 

"I'll have you know I was quite the prankster when I was a teenager." 

Faye tried to imagine the usually stern-faced and harried Jet pulling pranks, but it was completely impossible to conjure up such an image. It was equally as impossible to imagine Jet as a teenager, or a child, or with hair. Her face went through a series of twisted up looks as she tried to imagine what each of those could look like.

"Hey! What are you snickering about? Those screwed up faces you're making are most unattractive, just so you know." 

"Nothing. Not a thing."

Silence. Jet wasn't sure whether to feel uncomfortable or not. He and Faye rarely talked for any length of time nor were they alone together much. Much to his dismay, he'd never quite perfected this casually talking to females thing. And talking to a cat like Faye was especially daunting. If ever the word unpredictable fit anyone, it was Faye Valentine. Who knew when she'd go psycho on a person, wrecking havoc all over the place. She was as bad as Spike was at causing mayhem and destruction in her wake. Never in a million years would he have imagined that out of the billions of people in the Solar System he'd end up with another partner that managed to get into even more trouble than Spike did. Not that he didn't welcome the excitement, as long as it didn't involve them (read: him) having to pay for damages. Though, he'd never admit any of this to either one of them. 

"Were you waiting up for me? I'm touched."

"Nah, just felt a hankering for some stargazing. I actually wasn't expecting you back for a couple of days at least."

"Oh…" Her face fell for a split second, but her usual half smirking/half uncaring expression replaced it just as quickly. Hmm. Jet had always had his suspicions that Faye harbored hopes of friendship with he and Spike, but he never really could prove it as anything more than a hunch. Actually, she'd usually go out of her way to show the opposite, but his instincts told him otherwise. She had her eyes closed now, and a completely blank expression on her face. 

"That reminds me, are you ever going to stop breaking into the safe before these little jaunts of yours?"

"Of course not. I don't see why you're complaining - it's not like there's ever anything valuable in there." 

"Is this a cry for help?"

"Hardly. You know Jet, sometimes it's best not to overanalyze things."

"So why do it then?"

"Because I can. Naturally."

She half opened her eyes, looking sideways at him. "Are you mad?"

"Maybe."

"Do you want to throw me out?" The first question was asked with a teasing inflection to her voice, but the second one was quiet and serious. Her eyes were closed again. 

"Did I ever say that?"

"…..no. Does… does _he _want you to?"

"_He_ would've said something long ago if he did. Besides, what guy would turn away a pretty, young thing that followed him home?"

"What?!! I did not follow him home!! You lunkheads were the ones who kept me here against my will!" A furious blush was creeping up her neck all the way to the tops of her ears. "I'd never follow him anywhere." 

"My mistake. You're always free to leave, you know. This isn't a prison"

"Maybe I should, then!" Faye tried to get up, but again Jet pulled her back down.

"Jeez Faye. I was only joking. Didn't think you were so uptight."

She slumped back against the glass, embarrassment written all over her face. 

Was she really this insecure? True they'd never given her an official welcome, but she should know that she was. Had he been inhospitable? He'd expected her to quietly settle in like Spike had done. Even Ed had quietly settled in without any fanfare. This was his ship after all, so maybe he should've said something. Maybe he should say something now, but he couldn't think of anything. This is what it must feel like to have a difficult younger sister, and as his luck would have he had no idea how to deal with her.

A sudden movement from Faye cut short his train of thought, as she gathered the bottles and headed for the entrance. "I'll put these in the kitchen."

"Uh, Faye, wait. Will you check on Spike?"

"Why don't you do it?"

"Just thought you might--never mind." Jet decided it was better not finish what he was going to say when he saw her expression forming into an angry glare.

"Just see if he's awake yet. We need to plan how we're going to bring in Lee. I'm getting a bad feeling about this bounty. The amount was already high to begin with, but being upped so much….I don't know."

"Too hot for you to handle?"

"My gut's telling me this bounty's gonna probably land us a whole heap of trouble."

"Hm. That's my favorite kind." 

A/N: I'm so so sorry about taking so long to update this!!! Unfortunately my classes have been taking up so much time that I had to take a break from fan fiction altogether. Hope you guys don't mind that nothing really happened in this chapter, but I thought that a little Faye & Jet bonding was in order. The next chapter's 85% done, so I should be putting it up within the next week or so.

Lots of thanks to everyone one who's been reading and to the reviewers: red-tenko, EMK, The Dolls on Their Shelves, Qui-ti, i won't tell, Aniiston, setryochi, Kya Lorne, Jixer & Sybil, Wraith, and teardrops2m!!


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